Journey into Mystery 25
by D
Summary: The Vengeance of Loki!


Journey into Mystery 25

A Mighty Tale Told in the Mighty Marvel Manner!

At the Mercy of Loki!

Jane Foster never cared for flying, but that changed when she gained the ability to hurl herself through the air by swinging a mystic hammer. Called Thunderstrike on Earth and Johanna on Asgard, Jane still found it maddening that she was not only married but to a Norse god. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard a cry for help.

Glancing down, she spied a child clutching their ankle in the street as a truck veered out of control. Pointing her hammer Earthwards, she dropped directly onto the truck's hood. Carefully working her way in front of the grill, she slammed her feet into the pavement. The truck slowly came a halt before an amazed crowd.

Placing her hammer under the truck's front bumper, she reached into the cab and put it in park before checking on the child. "Merely a sprain young one, thou should still tread carefully for a day."

She waved to the crowd before taking to the sky again. She was some distance away when a bolt of pure agony went through her mind. Clutching her head, she dropped to the street, landing in an alley. "What's happening?"

"If you can hear me, come to the house on Bleeker Street! There's no time!" the voice screamed.

At once the pain vanished. Blinking slowly, Jane rubbed her temples gingerly. "A trap? Then again few people give you directions…"

She radioed in her coordinates and destination before taking to the air once more. Within seconds she was over the neighborhood. "Nightclubs, coffee houses and general bohemia-wait, what?" Before her eyes she saw it.

It was a brownstone, massive and imposing with a strange symbol of interconnecting lines inside a circle on the roof. She had been through the area once or twice and she was positive she had never seen anything of its like before.

She carefully landed on the roof. The single door opened and a short broad Asian man stepped out. "Ah, you must be the one the Master sent for. Please, follow me." His voice was deep and without accent.

"Who art thou?"

"You may call me Wong, now please hurry. My master is gravely wounded."

She followed him but with her hammer Stormbreaker at the ready.

They walked down a flight of steps that seemed to be longer than the building itself. Before she could ask, Wong ushered her into a candle lit room and shut the door behind her.

A man was collapsed on the floor. A massive red cloak was across his shoulders. It must have been a trick of the candles, but Jane could swear the cloth was moving on its own. She approached him carefully. His skin was pale and covered in sweat, but she recognized the white streaks in the black hair and the pencil thin mustache. "Stephen Strange?"

"Correct." His voice was raspy and weak. "Get me inside circle, quickly!" He pointed to an ornate circle drawn on the floor.

She carefully picked him up and took him inside the circle. Light shimmered around them and his eyes snapped open. "My thanks, you can put me down now."

"What's going on?" Jane Foster was aware of Stephen Strange, although she would hesitant to call him a friend or even a co-worker. She dimly recalled him and Don meeting at a few medical conventions. She didn't think too highly of the man, but what could have led him to all of this?

"I see you have questions. I'll be brief. My hands were ruined in a car accident. I tried every source I could think of but finally I found the Ancient One in Tibet. He taught me the mystic arts and soon I earned the title Sorcerer Supreme. One of his former students, Baron Mordo, attacked the city tonight. We fought and I managed to drive him back but he wounded me with a spell."

"Then why did you summon me?"

Strange pointed at the floor. "I'm having a massive heart attack. The circle is slowing time to a crawl but not stopping it. Only one with a mystic attunement could enter it. Plus you happen to be a damn fine nurse, so there's that."

"Then I'll take you to a hospital."

"That might raise more questions than I'm comfortable with. Leave the circle, tell Wong to phone for an ambulance and you accompany us. Feel free to call anyone else while you're at it."

"What about this Mordo? Wouldn't he be waiting for you?"

"Only on the Astral Plane and I've dealt with him there before, now hurry!"

Jane did as requested. The ambulance arrived within minutes and Stephen Strange was carried out on a gurney. Transformed into Jane Foster, registered nurse, she almost did a double take as she stepped outside. The massive brownstone was now a simple deli surrounded by a few abandoned buildings. "How?"

Wong hustled her into the ambulance. "There are many secrets Mrs. Blake. Perhaps you may learn more of them at a later date."

A quick radio to the Avengers Mansion got her husband on the phone. She waited in the emergency room as she heard the distinct sound of Mjolnir striking the Earth. Dr. Donald Blake entered the ER. If one were a close friend of Blake, one would have gasped at the change.

He was, for all intents and purposes, Thor except now he was dressed in clothes fitting a mortal man. Mjolnir, now disguised as a walking stick, was casually carried. "I heard your summons. Is Strange being prepped?"

Another doctor came up to them. "Dr. Blake? The director called, told us the particulars. It's been a real horror show tonight. Nearly every theater is filled with one case or another!"

Thor clamped his hand over the man's shoulder. "Fear not! With my nurse to aide me, we shall keep yon brother physician away from Death's grasp this night!"

"Ah, glad to hear it?"

Asgard was a land of golden palaces and infinite treasures. It also had giants, gods, and horrors beyond mortal understanding. At the exact moment Dr. Blake donned his surgical scrubs and readied the area for incision, Odin sent out a call for all Asgardians to return to the golden land for Frost Giants had taken that exact moment to invade.

"Ho! The hammer of the Odinson is needed! Why do you tary in this mortal ward?"

Thor muttered under his breath. "A man is dying. I do what I pledged myself to do."

"What you pledged to do was defend your home!" The lights flickered in the room. "What is one life against the Realm Eternal?"

"Nurse Foster, could you…check the generator?"

Jane picked up the hint. "Yes doctor."

Slipping away from the theater, Jane picked up her walking stick and hurried to the elevator. Taking it to the basement, she was stopped by a torrid blast of icy wind. "Fool! Have you bewitched my son? He forsakes his home!" Odin's voice boomed in the basement.

"Oh for crying out loud, are we going to go through this every month? He's a god, yes, but he took an oath to save lives. That man on the table means something to this world. Hell, if you need a hero, why not me?"

Odin appeared before her. "Hmm. Yes, you do possess the power. Frost Giants have invaded, coming from the frozen wastes of Jotunheimr. Our forces need aid, badly. Will you come with me?"

"Fine, fine." Jane tapped her stick. As Thunderstrike she walked through the portal.

-L

While epic battles were waged, one fellow in particular moved into action. Loki, following his banishment, had fallen into Nordheim, the land of trolls. From there he had been forced to endure indignity after indignity, mostly physical labor.

When one realm invades another, however, that can make one's attitude change. When news of Asgard falling (unlikely, he thought, but news had ways of being distorted across people) reached the dark tunnels, Loki was struck by an idea. He knew Heimdall was tasked with watching Loki, but only Loki. With a simple spell, a honeybee flew out of the tunnel and towards the Rainbow Bridge.

A honeybee landing on the ground in Central Park wasn't an odd thing to see. If anyone had been watching, however, they would have seen the bee disappear in a flash of light and smoke. An old man in rags hobbled out of the smoke and made his way towards a familiar office. "Soon Odinson, soon!"

-L

The old man made his way towards a familiar clinic. "Nearly closing time…perfect!"

-T 

Jane leaned back in her chair until her back popped. "Who knew fighting frost giants could take so much time?"

Thor's voice laughed from the back office. "Now you know what I've gone through these past few centuries!"

They both laughed until the front door opened. "I'm sorry sir, but we're closing up for the day. Unless this is an emergency?"

"Ohh, I'm dying!" the old man swooned and staggered towards her desk. He hobbled into a chair and arched his back. "Help me, the chill cuts to my very bones!"

"Hold on, I'll get a blanket!" Jane rushed from her chair to the supply cabinet. The old man instantly hopped to his feet and switched his walking cane with hers. When Jane returned, the old man broke into a soft shoe routine.

"It's a miracle! I'm cured!" he danced out the office, cane overhead. Jane dropped the blanket and slapped her forehead.

"Loki!" She grabbed the stick leaning against her desk and chased after him as Thor entered the office.

"Jane, wait!"

-J

Jane rushed outside and slammed her cane against the pavement. Nothing happened, but before she could run back inside, the trashcans out front turned into ribbons and entangled her.

"Not quite who I hoped for, but I'll not turn away a gift such as this!" Loki pressed his fingers against her temples and Jane felt quite tired.

As Thor kicked the clinic door apart, Loki gave a smirk to his enraged brother. "Goodbye brother, I'll keep in touch!" He vanished as Mjolnir struck where he stood.

"Loki!" Thor raged against the heavens. His mind raced, what could he do? He considered calling upon Odin but dismissed it. He was still sore about the earlier confrontation, plus with what Jane had told him the ruler of the gods was probably too busy with the demands of the throne.

"Strange!" Thor spun his hammer around and took to the sky.

-S

Stephen Strange hated hospital rooms. Inactivity plus too much outside noise made concentrating a chore. He had contacted Wong to bring him some of his tomes and few wards of protection. "I'd leave, but too much magic might alert Mordo." He was about to hang the phone up when the Norse god of thunder burst into his room.

"Strange, I am in need of thy magical might!"

"Never mind, I'll be home within the hour."

-S

At the Sanctum Sanctorum, Stephen Strange quickly donned the garb of the Sorcerer Supreme. "Loki, eh? Magic like his should be easy to track."

"Ah, but his is full of trickery."

Strange stepped over into a circle imprinted onto the floor. Gesturing carefully, maps appeared around him with glowing parts darting back and forth. "I see two signatures-Loki and I'm guessing your lady friend's hammer? They're in two places. Should we split up?"

"Nay, Loki is filled with vengeance, best to have our forces together. Send me to Jane's hammer first!"

-T

Thor blinked and found himself on the beach. A group of hobos were clustered together on the sand. One of them had Jane's cane in his hands. At the end of it was tied a string which led into the surf. "Come on Joe, you got a bite!"

"Hold gentleman!" Thor walked up to them. "Yon cane belongs to someone else and I must have it."

The group murmured. "Hey, possession is nine tenths the law Goldilocks!" Joe growled.

"I have no time to barter!" Thor slipped a hand into his belt and took out a gold coin. "Here, this should by you lodging and food for a time." He flipped the coin at Joe.

The mortal man dropped the cane. He scooped up the gold as Thor caught the cane. As the men marveled at the money, Thor yanked the line in and tossed the fish at their feet before taking to the sky.

"Hey, Thor!" A voice in his ear made him turn around.

"What sorcery is this?"

"No magic, just science!" The Wasp appeared before his eyes. "Giant Girl and I were on a case and saw you on the beach. Do you need any help?"

"Nay, but I thank you." Thor vanished before her eyes. Later, back on assignment with Janet Van Dyne, the Wasp was deep in thought.

"So he said no?"

"Yes, but he went to such trouble to get a stick from some bums. Didn't Jane use a stick when she was mortal?"

"Yes…and I didn't see her either. Think she's in trouble?"

"Maybe. Let's keep our eyes open. We may have to alert the rest of the Avengers."

Jane sat on the most comfortable rock she could find. Loki paced before her, running over his revenge plots out loud. She tried to ignore him. From the area around them and the chill, she assumed they were somewhere North but that didn't exactly narrow things down. For all she knew they were on another planet.

A familiar thunderbolt startled them both Loki waved his hands, turning her rock into an iron chair that clamped her limbs in place. "Stay here dear sister. I'll deal with you shortly!"

Loki pulled a sword from his cloak and marched off. Jane tried to wiggle free, but found no way to escape the iron. "Looks like you could use a hand." A familiar voice behind her prompted her to try and turn around.

Dr. Strange walked out from behind her. With a gesture her bonds vanished. "Thor explained everything…"

"No time!" Jane leaped to her feet and concentrated. Her small frame swelled with power as her brown hair turned into a deep gold as muscle formed and swelled under her nurse's uniform, a uniform that was quickly proving inadequate at containing the growing mass.

With a few strips to save some level of modesty, Johanna flew away on powerful wind currents. Strange pulled a walking cane from out of his cloak and casually started following her.

Sword and hammer clashed in the wooden grove. "Have at thy brother!"

"No Thor, not brother, not anymore! When I've slain you and that mortal welp, I'll lead my armies onto Asgard!"

"I say thee nay!" A near typhoon level of wind blasted Loki off his feet and into a nearby tree. Landing next to Thor, Johanna stood back to back with her husband. "Shall we finish this fight together?"

"Aye!" Thor's grin told her everything. With a mighty throw, and aided by her wind, Mjolnir rocketed at twice its normal speed. It hit Loki and nearly buried him under the earth.

"Mayhaps we were too harsh?" Johanna wiped away the dirt with a wave of her hand.

"Nay." Thor glared at his brother. "Loki, will thou yield?"

The pathetic moan served as an answer. The sky around them grew dark as a massive rainbow appeared. Odin appeared, flanked by Heimdall. "Thy eyes were true Heimdall. Loki's plot has been thwarted."

"His plan for vengeance?" Johanna asked as Loki was easily picked up and clasped in irons.

"Nay, although that was a part. Working with the trolls, Loki managed to get word to the Frost Giants and plan an attack against Asgard, with the idea that we would be too busy with them to notice him wreaking havoc on Midgard, but your aid ended the battle early and from that we followed him."

As Loki was dragged back to Asgard, Odin turned to the couple. "My thanks to you both. Two kingdoms may have been saved due to your acts." He saluted them and left in a flash.

The end

Based on "At the Mercy of Loki" which was first published in Journey into Mystery I#108 (September 1964) with credits to Stan Lee (script), Jack Kirby (pencils), Chic Stone (ink), an Artie Simek (letters)

Next time, "The Menace of Magneto!"

Journey into a Mailbox

From rmarcano

Sounds like a Twilight Zone episode

From Darci

There are several variations from the original that I wonder about, such as Duval inadvisably touching his face, going on a spree of thefts in Paris, or taking a ship to England.

I'm guessing the "turned to stone" is a reference to Avengers#5 Does Jane wield Strombringer (Beta Ray Bill) or Strombreaker (the weapon of Elric of Melinibone)?

I prefer your ending to the original. Somehow having the Gray Gargoyle dragged out to sea by a ship's wake seems anticlimactic.

Thanks! Some changes I made to streamline the story, yes on the Avengers reference and it should be Strombringer. And again, thanks for all you do.

Marvel Checklist

Amazing Fantasy#16-Origin of Devilina!

Giant-Size Avengers#1-The Exiles Strike!

Sensational Comics#25-Horde of the Humanoids!

The Avengers#12-The Avengers Meet Spider-Man!

Tales to Astonish#24-On the Trail of Spider-Man!


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